The efficient movement, storage and retrieval of objects is a nearly universal challenge, but is particularly well illustrated in the context of a warehouse where crates or pallets are received, stored for a certain time, then retrieved and dispatched. In modern warehouses, the warehouse inventory and storage plan is typically computerized in a warehouse management system (WMS), but the actual storage and retrieval of the stored objects is a physical, often manual, process. There are a number of current approaches to moving objects within a warehouse environment. At the most basic, WMS can provide the location of the object to be stored or retrieved to a human, and the human can drive a forklift to the specified location. This approach has several drawbacks. First, a relatively large number of individuals are required to perform the relatively monotonous task of repeatedly storing and retrieving objects. This can lead to both significant personnel costs, as well as an increased rate of human error due to fatigue and boredom. Additionally, the number of forklifts on the warehouse floor at a time is limited, since it is difficult for the operators to efficiently find alternate paths in the case that the main path is congested. Furthermore, the warehouse shelving and objects are traditionally labeled for reference by the human operators. Labeling is somewhat troublesome and is generally unnecessary in an automated system. More advanced systems utilizes robotic forklifts to execute the storage and retrieval of the managed objects. Robotic forklifts are integrated with the WMS to automatically take objects from an incoming dock to a storage location, or from the storage location to an outgoing dock. The use of robotic forklifts eliminates the issues of human error and fatigue, as well as limiting the personnel costs to the individuals required to maintain the forklifts. Additionally, since the robotic forklifts are in constant communication with a dispatching system, they are able to dynamically find paths that are not obstructed by other robotic forklifts, allowing an increase in density over human-operated forklifts. However, the robotic forklifts are complex, and require significant maintenance and specialized parts to repair. Additionally, the forklifts require a certain amount of space to maneuver, so the density of objects being moved is limited. Conveyer belts is another traditional approach used to transport objects, particularly in factories and shipping facilities. Conveyer belts provide automatic movement of objects from one point to another along a fixed path. However, being a fixed system, conveyer belts generally lack the flexibility found in other systems, because the layout of conveyer belts requires significant time and effort to change, as well as requiring potentially lengthy work stoppages.